A virtual broadband system for the remote transport of live media data over a cellular network is described in the applicants co-pending patent application U.S. Ser. No. 11/845,071, incorporated herein by reference. 071 describes a system in which a video camera may be used to film events at a remote location.
A cable may connect camera to a virtual broadband upload unit, which may operate several cellular modems, WiFi moderns, WiMax modems, or any other wireless modems to transmit media data through one or more cellular or any other wireless core networks, or even via a wireline Ethernet network. Each modem may generate a separate logical & physical channel and the multiple channels may constitute a virtual broadband connection. The combined upload capacity of virtual broadband connection may approximate that of a single, line of sight satellite or microwave connection.
From networks, the data may be transported to a virtual broadband receiver via Internet connections, leased lines connections, cellular network connections or any mix of the above connections. Virtual broadband receiver may be located within studio, which may then broadcast the data to televisions, to the Internet, etc.
Networks may be one or more cellular networks accessible from the remote location. It will be appreciated that one or more operators may provide such networks and that networks may also use more than one technology. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that virtual broadband connection may be comprised of a multiplicity of channels being transmitted to one or more network operators, each of which operator may be operating one or more networks of possibly different technologies.
Channels may be transported to virtual broadband receiver via a number of routes, including, for example, Internet connection, leased line connection and cellular network connection.
Although known systems may increase the efficiency of the transmission of live-broadcasts, the need remains for a system for managing and publishing the broadcasts for viewing. The present invention addresses this need